I Want A New Drug—President Duterte’s Deadly War on Drugs & Violations of International Human Rights Laws in the Philippines
By Laura Bassett.
In 2016, the Philippines elected Rodrigo Duarte as president. He promised to take a tough stance on drugs. While Duarte was a mayor, human rights groups found evidence of government sanctioned killing of certain criminals. Today's post discusses why Duarte's actions do not constitute genocide and what can be done in the future.
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Trademark Triumph in China?
By Tyler Seling.
Until recently, many U.S. companies faced trademark issues in China. China uses a "first to file" trademark system, which is in stark contrast to the U.S.'s "first to use" system. This has impacted large corporations such as Pfizer and Apple. Today's post discusses a recent decision by the Chinese Supreme Court that ruled in favor of Michael Jordan and ordered a Chinese company to stop using its trademark.
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Hague’s International Ruling on Action in the South China Sea
By John Napolitano.
Last summer, the Permanent Court of Arbitration opined that China's claim to the South China Sea had no legal basis. Today's blog post discusses the claim brought against China by the Philippines. In particular, it focuses on key aspects of the court's decision and the United States response to the decision.
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Indian Supreme Court Prevents Campaigning on Caste and Religion
By Steve Ragatzki.
Today's post discusses the Indian caste system, which divides Hindus into groups based on karma and dharma. The separate castes are segregated, and abuse against lower-caste people has risen to the level of a human rights violation. A recent decision by the Indian Supreme Court held that candidates for office may no longer campaign based on religious or caste platforms.
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Human Trafficking: A Comparison of Michigan and Russia
By Hannah Bloom.
In our modern era, it is easy to think that slavery is no longer existent. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Human trafficking is a form of slavery. Michigan ranks second amongst the United States for human trafficking. Today's post discusses human trafficking laws in the state of Michigan and compares it to the laws of Russia.
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Marshall Islands’ Nuclear Arms Lawsuit Thrown Out by the ICJ
By Jessie Baker.
The Marshall Islands served as a nuclear testing site for the United States. Many of the affects from the testing can still be seen and felt to this day. Today's post discusses Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the suit brought by the Marshall Islands in the International Court of Justice.
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Space War: The Militarization & Weaponization of Space
By Angela White.
Tomorrow is our annual symposium, The Great Expanse: The Mysteries of Space Law. Today's post discusses the militarization and weaponization of Space. In particular, the post focuses on the arguments for and against the weaponization of outer space.
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Watch Out: Your Privacy Policy may have International Implications
By Gary Gonzalez.
Last year, Facebook acquired WhatsApp for almost $19 Billion. Throughout the process, Facebook and WhatsApp told the public it would not change the data privacy that WhatsApp offered its customer. However, after the purchase was completed, Facebook changed its policy regarding the use of data from WhatsApp customers. Today's post discusses the international laws that the change implicates and how some courts are handling consumer's complaints.
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Deteriorating Relationships Between Russia and the West
By Savannah Priebe.
In 2008 Russia invaded Georgia claiming it was defending its citizens living there. Then, in 2013, Russia involved itself the conflict in the Ukraine. Most recently, Russia has gotten involved with the conflict in Syria. These actions have stirred up dissent by Western Nations. Today's post discusses the international agreements that govern the claims against Russia and their implications.
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Super Bowl Ads, Eh?
By Drew Hargrove.
On Sunday, many people watched the Super Bowl. But, the Super Bowl is not just a big deal in America, many Canadians watch the game as well. Until very recently, however, Canadians were not privy to the hyped-up American commercials. Today's post discusses the legal battle ensuing in Canadian courts regarding the showing of American commercials during the Super Bowl.
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Property Rights in Unchartered Territory: Comparing the Colonization of Mars to the Colonization of America
By Hilary McDaniel.
Former-President Barack Obama announced America would send humans to Mars by the 2030s. But, other countries and private parties are also vying to colonize Mars. Today's post looks at potential similarities between the colonization of America and the colonization of Mars.
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Bill C-25: Shaking up Federal Corporate Governance in Canada
By Kelly Kane.
Canada's Business Corporations Act provides a corporate governance framework for all Canadian companies. In September 2016, a bill was introduced proposing several amendments to the CBCA. Today's post discusses the proposed amendments and their potential impact.
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The Common Heritage of Mankind: Out of this World.
By Drew Hargrove.
As we near this year's symposium, it is important to look at the sources of space law. The first treaty on international space relations, the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, laid the groundwork. Today's post discusses another area of governance, the concept of the Common Heritage of Mankind and whether it applies to the Moon and its natural resources.
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Space Law: The Problem of Space Debris in Earth’s Orbit
By Patrick Beauchamp.
It is estimated there are more than 600,000 items orbiting Earth that are large enough to be lethal. Today's blog post discusses the various laws addressing space debris, why those laws are not as effective as they could be, and provides a suggestion for improving the laws.
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Wallonia and the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement
By Steve Simmons.
Last fall, the European Union and Canada signed the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement. However, the agreement almost didn't get signed, because of opposition by Wallonia, a region located in southern Belgium. Today's post discusses how the Walloons were almost able to veto major legislation and what it means for future EU legislation.
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